A middle aged professional woman who was looking for a career, but settled for the paycheck instead. I live in a rural community in the high desert valley of Northern Nevada. I have been here for over 30 years, but recently moved from my home of over 20 years to live alone. I started my professional path as a Certified Nursing Assistant over 20 years ago, working and taking care of my family of 3 children, now adults- when did that happen? I have been in school ever since earning a certificate as a licensed professional nurse, an Associate Degree nurse then on the Bachelor’s degree, all the while working on and attaining certifications in different areas of nursing. I have worked as a floor nurse in almost every aspect of hospital care from ICU, CCU, ER, Med-Surg, Ortho and medical. I have been a floor nurse, and house supervisor for multiple extended care facilities as well as Director of Nursing Services for some. I have worked home health, and hospice not to mention as a County Coroner for several years.

I think I have finally found my professional home as well as personal home in Tribal Service, I have been here the longest at 4 years. I was a floor nurse to the medical staff for 2 years, then moved to middle management to oversee I.H.S. grants for the Community Health and Wellness programs. In this I oversee three large grants and several smaller ones with compliance and spending and program management. We have a staff of six (3 we obtain after I got the position). This current position allows me the opportunity to utilize all of my nursing skill and obtain new skills and knowledge. After this program I will continue on for possibly a Master’s in Public Health with a side in Forensic studies.

Leadership Development Opportunities

I was overly surprised when chosen for this program with all the professionals in the alphabet soup categories of education. The curriculum has been a challenge at times with all the deadlines in a grants manager’s life, but the project has made me see things, including myself in a different light. It has opened new doors and brought about a positive outlook to a future, wherever that may be. The networking and the ideas were bountiful, my classmate Jeanine is an inspiration to keep going and doing, never stop learning. Heidi has taught me to be more prudent with my time and pay closer attention to detail; Tim kept me from being the shrinking violet in the room, always open and moving. The best mentor with Pieter as a good friend should be there when you need them and not when you don’t, who could ask for more? My immediate supervisor has commented on the “growth pattern” of not only being able to withstand frustration, but with calming verbalization, according to my latest evaluation. This is the goal I was hoping to achieve when I took up the application for this fellowship, and that word says it all.